This article is part of our NASCAR DFS series.
Weather Guard Truck Race
Location: Bristol, Tenn.
Course: Bristol Motor Speedway
Format: 0.5-mile dirt oval
Laps: 250
NASCAR Trucks Weather Guard Truck Race Preview
Rajah Caruth drove his way to his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victory last time out at Las Vegas. He started on pole and led 38 laps to convert that top starting spot into a first career win. By doing so, he joined Nick Sanchez as the only two regular-series drivers to put themselves into the playoff picture so far in 2024. This week, the rest of the field chases those two back east to Bristol Motor Speedway as they seek to add their names to that list. This spring, the Bristol track will look very different as the spring races return to the track's traditional concrete surface versus the dirt. Corey Heim won last time on the concrete in the playoff race at the track last September, and he'll be one of those many drivers seeking to add his name to the 2024 winner's list this week. This week's Weather Guard Truck Race will be the 27th series race on Bristol's concrete, and will give everyone their next chance to stake a claim to the 2024 series title.
Key Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway
- Number of races: 26
- Winners from pole: 6
- Winners from top-5 starters: 16
- Winners from top-10 starters: 22
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 91.919 mph
Previous 10 Bristol Winners
2023 - Corey Heim
2022 - Ty Majeski
2021 - Chandler Smith
2020 - Sam Mayer
2019 - Brett Moffitt
2018 - Johnny Sauter
2017 - Kyle Busch
2016 - Ben Kennedy
2015 - Ryan Blaney
2014 - Brad Keselowski
Bristol's short and exciting oval features high banking and tight racing, which often combine to produce some of the most exciting races of the season. The tight track makes track position extremely import. No driver in the the 26-race history of the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Bristol has ever won starting worse than 17th. Only three of those races were won by a driver starting outside of the top 10, too. The track is slightly longer than half of a mile, and that means traffic will be something drivers have to deal with all night. It also means that any drivers struggling with handling issues can find themselves falling off of the lead lap early. Bristol is a rhythm track where drivers can achieve their fastest times settling into a groove, but slower vehicles taking different lines make finding that rhythm difficult. The close racing with big rewards on the line makes for an exciting race for fans. Bristol does offer multiple lines for drivers to use as tires wear through a fuel run, and chances to go off strategy will fall around yellow flags and restarts. Look for the fastest line to be around the outside of the turns, up against the wall, by the end of the race.
RotoWire NASCAR DFS Trucks Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Weather Guard Truck Race (Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap)
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kyle Busch - $15,000
Corey Heim - $10,000
Christian Eckes - $9,800
Zane Smith - $9,500
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Tyler Ankrum - $9,000
Rajah Caruth - $8,700
Ben Rhodes - $8,500
Nick Sanchez - $8,300
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Taylor Gray - $7,900
Stewart Friesen - $7,400
Ty Dillon - $7,300
Jake Garcia - $7,000
DraftKings Long-Shot Values
Bayley Currey - $6,600
Matt Mills - $6,200
Daniel Dye - $6,100
Lawless Alan - $5,600
NASCAR DFS Picks for the Weather Guard Truck Race
Corey Heim - $10,000
Zane Smith - $9,500
Tyler Ankrum - $9,000
Ben Rhodes - $8,500
Ty Dillon - $7,300
Thad Moffitt - $5,700
Kyle Busch is the clear top choice for this week's race at Bristol, but a much more cost-effective lineup can be generated by avoiding him. Corey Heim could be the best alternative to Busch this week. Heim won at Bristol last fall and finished 10th in 2022. With three finishes of third or better from the first three races of the season, Heim could become the season's next winner this week. Zane Smith is another proven contender that can go toe-to-toe with the best. Smith led 82 laps in the last two Bristol races and has a best finish of second from 2022. His lone truck start this season was at Las Vegas and resulted in an eighth-place finish. Another driver off to a good start in 2023 is Tyler Ankrum, who sits atop the championship standings with two top-10 finishes. He finished second last time out at Las Vegas and led 53 laps on his way to a seventh-place finish at Bristol in 2020. That was his best finish at this track from five series starts. Ben Rhodes hasn't had as strong of a start to the season as those mentioned prior, but he should still be considered a worthy choice for this week's race. His best finish from the three races thus far was 13th at Las Vegas. His six prior Bristol top-10 finishes suggest this week could be his best run of the season so far. He finished seventh in last year's race.
Of the lower-priced driver options this wee, Ty Dillon should be one to consider. He hasn't found a consistent home in NASCAR, but his lower price comes with a lot of experience. His best series finish at this track is third from 2013, and his best finish so far this season was 14th at Atlanta. Dillon should be a top-15 contender this week with some upside of a potential top-10. Another value to consider is Thad Moffitt. He has been getting better each week and finished 25th at Las Vegas. This week will be his eighth series start.
